That's the Spirit
Burnaby, British Columbia
When I come to stay at the Burnaby ashram I usually trek along Marine Drive to a trail under the Skytrain and back. Today I took to the farm land, a slight elevation down into the Fraser Valley. There I felt traces of nostalgia. It's a flat black plain with a rich growth of vegetables and fruits. It brings me back to my childhood, having grown up in rich southern Ontario soil.
A farmer came to the edge of his driveway to meet me, and walking partner for the day, Nipuna. The farmer gave a warm greeting and spoke.
"It's good to see you guys here. You should come more often, and more of you. It's all agricultural fields. This is your kind of place."
His words were like a divine confirmation. Maybe prophetic. It was as if God spoke, telling us that as monks, we should be in the countryside and behind the lifestyle of growing things.
We saw Chinese workers with broad sun hats weeding the fields, squatting the whole time, and plucking away at the unwanted plants.
I made a second trip to the area just to fulfill my commitment to a minimum daily amount of steps on foot; as well as my minimum amount of time chanting on meditation beads. It was eight hours after my morning venture. The workers were still there. This was impressive!
I never tire of seeing inspirational people while trekking; whether it be a road construction crew, guys repairing a bridge, farmers ploughing fields, or young men in military training walking over a steep gorge with a three rope bridge. When people work as a force in collaboration, it is a display of utter beauty,...the perfect concert.
Upon returning to the local temple and ashram, I saw the same dynamic happening there. In their amazing passion to run a smooth flowing Chariot Festival, devotees were moving as buzzing bees, working out all the preparations for the weekend's event. It's about harmony really.
It is what our guru, Srila Prabhupada, always called for. He called for the spirit of co-operation.
7 Km
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